Covering soft tissue defects remains challenging for orthopaedic surgeons, especially those in resource-challenged facilities.
Covering tissue defects follow a plan from simple to complex: primary closure, local flap, area flap, pedicle flap, and free
flap. I will limit my discussion to the role of latter two. At the district-level hospital in Vietnam, pedicle flaps are generally
more useful, so I will discuss free flaps only briefly. The choices of pedicle flaps include: kite flap, posterior interosseous
flap, radial flap (Chinese flap), neurocutaneous flap, anterolateral thigh fasciocutaneous flap, gastrocnemius flap, sural
flap, posterior leg flaps; we typically use a free flap with the latissimus dorsi. Soft tissue coverage with pedicle flaps
has many advantages: reliability, relatively easy harvest, and good blood supply. Free flaps with microanastomosis have an
important place in covering difficult medium- or large-sized soft tissue defects but also require more instruments and more
highly trained surgeons.
The author certifies that he/she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing
arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.
The author certifies that his/her institution does not require approval for the human protocol for this investigation and
that the investigation was conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research.